The evolutionary conserved BER1 gene is involved in microtubule stability in yeast

Details

The evolutionary conserved BER1 gene is involved in microtubule stability in yeast

Journal

Current Genetics

Author(s)

FiechterV., CameroniE., CeruttiL., DeV. C., BarralY., FankhauserC.

ISSN

0172-8083

Publication state

Published

Issued date

2008

Peer-reviewed

Oui

Volume

53

Number

2

Pages

107-115

Language

english

Abstract

In yeast, microtubules are dynamic filaments necessary for spindle and nucleus positioning, as well as for proper chromosome segregation. We identify a function for the yeast gene BER1 (Benomyl REsistant 1) in microtubule stability. BER1 belongs to an evolutionary conserved gene family whose founding member Sensitivity to Red light Reduced is involved in red-light perception and circadian rhythms in Arabidopsis. Here, we present data showing that the ber1Delta mutant is affected in microtubule stability, particularly in presence of microtubule-depolymerising drugs. The pattern of synthetic lethal interactions obtained with the ber1Delta mutant suggests that Ber1 may function in N-terminal protein acetylation. Our work thus suggests that microtubule stability might be regulated through this post-translational modification on yet-to-be determined proteins